Officer Yu returned from the restroom and saw the mediation room in complete chaos—his world collapsed.
He rushed in, first closing the windows, then working with his colleague to separate the parties.
Before he could even deliver a lecture, his phone started ringing again.
He immediately silenced everyone with a glare and answered: "Hello, Captain Yang… eh, P-P-President Li?"
President Li?
Fei Chaichai perked up the moment she heard that and immediately moved closer.
Officer Yu circled around to the desk next door and sat down.
From then on, he didn't say another word, completely focused on the computer in front of him that was being remotely controlled to run code.
Everyone else was baffled but didn't dare make a sound, so they could only wait on the sidelines.
As they waited, the lawyer and the foreign teacher lost their patience and wanted to ask what on earth was going on.
Officer Yu's ever-widening mouth suddenly shrank as he noted down what was being said on the other end of the line, then reminded the person watching most intently: "Young lady, could you please step aside for a moment?"
The person called out was still staring intently at the computer.
Only when Officer Yu gestured with his eyes for her to move aside did she snap out of it, scratching her head in confusion.
Why was she being singled out and shooed away? Was it because they were protecting a student?
Fei Chaichai immediately sought confirmation: "What about my uncle then?"
Officer Yu: "He doesn't need to."
"…………"
What was something that she, a grown adult, wasn't allowed to see!
Fei Chaichai was utterly perplexed.
Fei Jie quietly reassured her: "Niece Chaichai, sitting across from us will give you a better view of the show."
Really?
Fei Chaichai didn't believe it, but she had no choice. She obediently stepped aside and sat down across from them.
And sure enough, the show really did begin.
When Officer Yu hit the enter key, the computer finally stopped displaying a screen full of incomprehensible characters, and the states of the people across from them changed to varying degrees.
The lawyer, who had been strutting around arrogantly moments before, suddenly leaned in close to the computer screen, his expression shifting dramatically, growing darker and darker.
In stark contrast to him was the foreign teacher, whose face had turned deathly pale.
Teacher Tao, meanwhile, was covering her eyes and turning away.
And Officer Yu was still busy handling the social niceties on the phone: "Yeah, okay… alright, alright, alright…"
Of everyone in the room, only Fei Chaichai was the most confused.
Fortunately, she had a reliable uncle who rushed over immediately, excitedly saying: "Niece Chaichai, the King of Hell has shown himself! Someone found evidence of the sleazy foreign teacher's illegal transactions on the dark web! Not a bit more, not a bit less—just enough to convict him!"
Someone?
That word was used very carefully. Fei Chaichai asked doubtfully: "It wasn't found by the police?"
Fei Jie jutted his chin toward the other side: "Does Officer Yu look like someone who found the evidence himself?"
Fei Chaichai turned to look.
Officer Yu had already finished his call and was now going "wow" and "whoa" at the computer, still savoring the moment.
If he hadn't experienced it himself, he would never have believed that a technical barrier that usually took several people days to break through could be cracked by one person in half an hour.
No wonder N.Found's status in the industry had been rising higher and higher these past few years—even the higher-ups were trying every way to court them.
He was completely convinced. Once he recovered his composure, he called out to Fei Chaichai: "Young lady, come over and sign, and you're free to go."
Fei Chaichai didn't move, still wondering who this "someone" could be.
It wasn't until Fei Jie waved his hand in front of her face that she snapped back to reality.
Seeing that everyone was waiting for her, she quickly cleared her thoughts, completed the paperwork, and led Fei Jie out of the office.
With that, this extraordinary experience came to an end.
Fei Jie found an empty chair in the lobby and sat down, no longer taking up Fei Chaichai's time: "Alright, hurry back for evening self-study. No need to keep me company—Aunt Jiang will be here soon."
"No rush." Fei Chaichai sat down beside him, still wanting to ask whether he was the one who hacked the foreign teacher's computer.
Fei Jie didn't understand her composure: "No rush? Isn't your class monitor the most particular about attendance?"
"……!!!"
Those words were like a fire lit under Fei Chaichai's seat—she shot up instantly.
Qiao Xiaoyu wasn't an official-obsessed person, but she was obsessed with honors. If the class lost the flowing red banner next week because of her, she wouldn't have a moment's peace until graduation.
Fei Chaichai didn't dare waste another second. She hurriedly dashed out.
Just as she was about to burst out of the lobby, she slammed on the brakes and stopped in her tracks.
When she had arrived, the sunset clouds had been blazing across the sky. Now they had burned out, leaving only a sliver of light.
In the bustling stream of people constantly coming and going, two figures didn't belong to that busyness, standing outside the lobby.
One of them was Qin Ling.
From his expression and lip movements, he seemed to be cursing at the man beside him.
Unfortunately, the man being scolded didn't take in a single word. He still wore that lazy, indifferent look of someone who couldn't care less about anything, idly toying with a bottle of sparkling water as if waiting for someone.
The shelved question, along with that "President Li," came flooding back into Fei Chaichai's mind.
Could that "someone" be Li Yuyuan?
She wasn't quite sure. As she hesitated over whether to go over and ask, another "Mr. Li" came from behind her.
The man surnamed Li didn't react, but the man surnamed Qin turned around.
Then, a graceful figure swept past Fei Chaichai, accompanied by a refreshing fragrance, perfectly blocking her from their line of sight.
It was Teacher Tao.
When she was just a few steps away, she slowed down, smoothed her slightly disheveled hair, and adjusted her breathing before stepping forward. Her voice was a little nervous, yet tinged with anticipation as she greeted, "Hello, we met last week at Uncle Qian's birthday banquet. I don't know if you still remember me?"
Qin Ling remembered her—she was the granddaughter of President Tao of Anshan Group.
But the question wasn't directed at him.
The person being asked seemed not to have heard. It wasn't until Qin Ling jabbed him hard with his elbow that he turned back to look.
His gaze was as light as water, carrying no weight, yet it inexplicably made one feel they had disturbed his peace, and a sense of unease followed.
A hint of awkwardness flickered across Teacher Tao's radiant face as she realized her own rashness. She explained, "I… I just wanted to thank you. Officer Yu told me that if it hadn't been for you just now…"
Before she could finish, she was interrupted.
Li Yuyuan took a few steps back, making room for Qin Ling, with an air of complete detachment, and said, "Thank him."
Teacher Tao was stunned.
Qin Ling, burdened with a great mission: "?"
He cursed inwardly but responded smoothly on the surface: "Don't mention it. Eliminating harm for the people is every citizen's duty…"
Teacher Tao was still looking at Li Yuyuan, not understanding what this meant.
But all that was left for her was that desolate expanse of tattoos, just like its owner—aloof, cold, and unpredictable.
Fei Chaichai, who hadn't intended to eavesdrop, empathized with Teacher Tao throughout.
Although her first, second, and third impressions of Li Yuyuan were all that he was hard to talk to, he was especially difficult to get along with today.
Perhaps this was the real him.
No matter how unserious his words and actions seemed, they were all just a facade.
The coldness in his bones was concealed beneath a deceptively charming exterior. Even when he occasionally showed interest, patience, or tolerance, it was merely to pass the time.
No. 108 was much better.
Fei Chaichai snapped back to reality, no longer curious about who "someone" was, and decided to take a detour.
But just as she moved, Qin Ling suddenly took a step aside to talk to Teacher Tao.
The next second, a face half-caught in light and shadow barged into her field of vision without warning.
Fei Chaichai couldn't dodge in time and froze in place.
A glass door divided the hall into two worlds.
Inside, the lights were bright; outside, dusk was falling.
In that fleeting blue hour, those slightly upturned eyes became deceptively alluring again. Without their usual aggression, they were half-lidded, gazing at her without blinking, as if he had been waiting for her for a long time.
Fei Chaichai's heart fluttered with panic under his gaze. She stood at attention, her hands finding nowhere to rest before settling on her hips to bolster herself: "What are you looking at me for?"
Li Yuyuan didn't answer. His gaze continued to wander, lingering longest on her face.
From the fight just now, it seemed she had come out on top. Apart from her hair clearly showing signs of the scuffle, there were no other injuries.
But the face that should have been smug was instead written all over with wariness.
As for who she was wary of, that went without saying.
A slight movement crossed Li Yuyuan's brow, a hint of emotion drifting in the depths of his eyes—unclear whether it was a smile or not. His tone was calm as he said, "Come here."
"C-come there for what?" Fei Chaichai's momentum weakened slightly, but she remained on high alert.
Li Yuyuan: "To say thank you to me."
"?"
Thank you?
Wasn't he the one who said he wasn't the one who helped?
Fine.
In front of Teacher Tao, he was a selfless hero who did good deeds without leaving his name. But when it came to her, he became a petty, calculating miser who put a price on everything!
Fei Chaichai hated double standards the most. She said with veiled sarcasm: "If you want to hear 'thank you' so badly, why didn't you listen properly when Teacher Tao was talking to you just now?"
She thought this would be enough to embarrass him.
But Li Yuyuan, after hearing this, didn't even furrow his brow. Dragging his lazy, languid voice, he replied unhurriedly: "Because the one I helped was you."
"…"
Fei Chaichai was choked speechless.
His frankness left her at a loss.
Of course, she didn't believe Li Yuyuan had helped her just for her sake, but she couldn't deny the fact that she had benefited. She pursed her lips and said reluctantly, "Fine. Thank you."
Her barely concealed defiance replaced her wariness.
Li Yuyuan didn't stop while he was ahead. Instead, he pushed further: "Can't hear you."
"…"
Fei Chaichai took the bait instantly, forgetting to keep her distance. She strode over aggressively, stood on her tiptoes, tilted her head up, and shouted into his ear: "Thank you thank you thank you thank you—"
Midway through her sonic attack, Li Yuyuan slightly tilted his head.
Fei Chaichai caught it with her sharp eyes and smiled smugly.
As expected, forceful enforcement worked.
She stopped with satisfaction, not noticing that the man's eyes had darkened slightly.
In the vibrant and open spring, with the senses overloaded, one couldn't tell for a moment whether what had just brushed past was the wind or a breath.
It took a while for that gentle sensation to subside at the side of his neck.
Li Yuyuan lowered his dark eyes, his voice as casual as ever, and continued to ask her: "How will you thank me?"
"…"
Fei Chaichai's joy came to an abrupt halt. She suspected she had fallen into a chain of traps and was almost amused into anger: "Holy crab!"
After waiting three seconds, Li Yuyuan raised one hand.
Fei Chaichai instinctively flinched back.
But the hand did nothing—it simply opened flat in front of her.
Fei Chaichai was stunned, not understanding: "What does that mean?"
Li Yuyuan: "Holy crab."
Fei Chaichai was still utterly confused.
He walked in circles several times before Li Yuyuan lowered his hand, slipped it into his pocket, and let out a calm "Oh," as if he had only just understood. "So you were scolding me."
"…I-I wasn't scolding you."
Of course Fei Chaichai was scolding him, but there was no way she would admit it. She improvised on the spot: "Holy shit, holy shit—that sounds like it takes a ton of time to prepare. But I really don't have time today. I still have to get back to school for evening self-study."
Li Yuyuan said nothing, just looked at her like she was a clumsy lie.
The implication was obvious—making excuses was fine, but she might want to come up with a new one.
"…I really do have to go back today." Fei Chaichai tasted the pain of shooting herself in the foot.
"So," Li Yuyuan said slowly, his gaze wrapping around her muttering face as he pressed the charge, "last time was fake."
The moment the words left his mouth, Fei Chaichai clamped both hands over her mouth and looked up at Li Yuyuan with a face full of regret.
She'd actually let it slip!
She rolled her eyes and quickly scrambled to defend herself: "H-How could it be fake? Look at you, you're way too distrustful of people. Tell you what, I promise—next time we meet, I'll definitely make up for your holy shit gift. If I go back on my word, I'll never get to chase Dean Yan Ci in this lifetime!"
Not only did she turn the blame back on him, but even the oath she swore was hiding her own selfish motives.
Li Yuyuan let out a cold scoff.
Fei Chaichai pretended not to hear it. For the sake of a peaceful life, she dropped a "I really gotta go, bye!" and boldly sidestepped him, scurrying off in a flash.
As she ran, she glanced back a couple of times.
The man on the steps gradually faded into a silhouette.
Li Yuyuan didn't chase after her. He let her go, holding the blank check she'd written him.
That said, her sense of direction was truly terrible. She ran a good stretch past the gate, then doubled back to cross the road. Her casually pinned-up hair was on the verge of falling apart from all the jostling, bobbing up and down like a little bird's tail.
Qin Ling, returning from warding off outsiders, missed the whole thing perfectly.
He had no idea what had just happened. He only knew how hard he'd worked, and he cursed: "Li Yuyuan, can you control that face of yours? Stop attracting bees and butterflies out there, seducing people left and right!"
Li Yuyuan withdrew his gaze from the distant traffic and stared at Qin Ling thoughtfully.
Qin Ling felt a chill run down his spine under that stare and was about to apologize.
Not because he'd been wrong to scold him, but because he shouldn't have brought up that face Li Yuyuan hated most.
But before he could grovel, Li Yuyuan spoke first.
As his fingertips touched the blue hair tie in his pocket, a hint of evening breeze seemed to stir in his eyes. His expression was unreadable as he rare asked for Qin Ling's opinion: "How about using this face to seduce a bird?"
Qin Ling: "…??"